Lakers: Looking back at when Shaquille O’Neal dominated the NBA
If you are young enough to have never seen Los Angeles Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal play and you just think that he is some analyst who likes to go back and forth with Charles Barkley then you really have to do your homework and get familiar with your basketball history.
Once upon a time young boys and girls, there was a beast that reigned terror like never before in the NBA.
In a time when big men were much more prominent and important and the NBA game was not just about shooting three-pointers from way beyond the arc, and teams actually played defense as it was one of the more important factors of the game, (funny how that has changed huh?) Shaquille O’ Neal was by far the most dominant player in all of the NBA and no one could stop him.
Oh, how I feel bad for those that never got to see Shaq shatter backboards, abuse opponents, (Please go and look for videos on how Shaq abused Arvydas Sabonis on the Portland Trail Blazers.) have teams double and triple-teaming him, and of course, use the Hack-a-Shaq against him.
If you look next to Shaquille O’ Neal’s name, all of these things should have a star next to them because they were all part of his wonderful history as a player.
O’Neal roared into the NBA looking more like a well-seasoned veteran on steroids when he was first drafted by the Orlando Magic as the overall number one pick in the 1992 NBA Draft out of LSU.
From day one, there was no doubt that not only was a new sheriff in town but a new force was felt throughout the sports universe. He would put up phenomenal numbers in Orlando with game highs of 53 points and 28 rebounds in 1993-94. O’Neal would also lead the Magic to their first NBA Finals in1994-95 where they would lose to the Houston Rockets.
Then came that wonderful day in 1996 on July 18th when the Lakers signed him as a free agent. (Oh, how great Jerry West and Dr. Jerry Buss were!) Los Angeles was never the same. We Laker fans were in ecstasy.
It was the start of something new as the power in the NBA had suddenly transformed across the coast. Shaq would bring his game to the west coast and help the Lakers rise once again into greatness.
He helped transform the Lakers organization as his presence was felt throughout LA. For the first time since Magic Johnson and Kareem, there was a player that the entire organization revolved around. Posters and billboards held his picture proudly as fans of all kinds would flock to get a glimpse of him.
The city of Los Angeles welcomed him with open arms as he made himself right at home along with the millionaires, movie stars and moguls of all kinds. His charisma, personality, and charm were one of a kind.
Those bright lights of the Great Western Forum and the Staples Center shined on him perfectly. Shaq made movies, music and commercials as he soaked in everything LA had to offer.
It would not be until 1999-2000 when Shaq’s Lakers would win the first of three championships in a row as he and Kobe Bryant were becoming the new dynamic duo of the league.
The Lakers would return to their dynasty days. O’Neal had reached a new level of success in his NBA career and had proved that he was a champion and more. His name would go down in NBA history, and more importantly, in Laker history.
Of course, O’Neal would go on to play many more years after his days with the Lakers had unfortunately come to an end. On July 14th, 2004 he was traded to the Miami Heat for Caron Butler, Lamar Odom, Brian Grant, and future draft picks.
He would go on to help the Miami Heat win their first NBA championship in 2005-06 with Dwyane Wade as his partner in crime. Shaq then played for the Phoenix Suns, the Cleveland Cavaliers (with LeBron James), and the Boston Celtics. His19 year career had come to an end and what a career it was.
He was more than just a basketball player. After all, he was a rapper, an actor, a producer, an analyst, an Honorary US Deputy Marshall and even a DJ. No matter where you looked, he was all over the place during his playing days and he is still all over tv with commercials such as Icy Hot or Frosted Flakes or on TNT with Kenny Smith, Ernie Johnson, and Charles Barkley.
Shaq is a one of a kind type of personality similar to the great Joe Namath and Peyton Manning. Forever will he be remembered and easily go down as one of the greatest and most dominant players in NBA history.
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Long live the Diesel, Shaq Fu, Superman, The Big Aristotle, Shaq Daddy and all the other names he is known by.